Latest:

Sports and Lifestyle's and News | College.cbs.com.ng

Women's College Basketball

The Next Generation of College Basketball Superstars: Predicting the Standout Players for 2024-25

Caitlin Clark officially played her final collegiate basketball game after Iowa’s defeat against South Carolina in the national championship game. Fortunately for all of us, there is an abundance of exceptional talent throughout the nation. A number of players seem ready to either explode onto the national scene or even farther into the national zeitgeist of American sports because of the game’s parity, conference realignment, and increased number of games on national television.

Here’s a look at the 10 biggest stars who could take over (or re-take) women’s college basketball next season.

(Editor’s note: Players’ class listed for 2024-25 season)

1. JuJu Watkins, USC

Sophomore guard

Watkins is the leader of this impressive freshmen class, having drawn national notice despite spending the majority of the season hidden away on the Pac-12 Network. As the Trojans advance to the Big Ten, she will be in charge of spearheading the USC comeback. Conference realignment only enhances Watkins’ celebrity status and brand awareness because, as a result of the Big Ten Network’s partial ownership by FOX, her games will now (finally) be available to the entire nation. The Big Ten, without Caitlin Clark, will be searching for a new conference star to center its programming on, and she will be performing in and around the country’s three biggest media markets. Watkins is well-positioned to rank among the most well-known players in the league the following season.

Redshirt senior guard

It may seem strange to see Bueckers, the 2021 Player of the Year, listed with other less well-known players. However, Bueckers led her team to a Final Four run and is expected to return with more weapons next season, making her a lock to be a 2024–25 star. It is possible that UConn will have a genuine chance to win a national championship and that Bueckers will reclaim her POY crown if the Huskies can regain their full health—yes, we know we have stated it before—in the upcoming season. As a dangerous scorer and playmaking defender, Bueckers should have even more flexibility to operate in UConn’s system next season with a strong supporting cast. Playing out of position this season likely only makes Bueckers that much more well-rounded.

3. Maddie Booker, Texas

Sophomore guard/forward

Twelve games into the season, Texas point guard Rori Harmon suffered an ACL injury. Coach Vic Schaefer then asked his freshman, Booker, who had never played point guard before, to take over as the team’s primary ballhandler. What was the outcome? Oh, simply co-player of the year for the All-Big 12 league. In addition to leading the Longhorns in assists and scoring, she shared first place in the steals category with colleague Shaylee Gonzales. Refer to her as a point guard, a wing, or a forward. However, because of her skill and athleticism, Booker can play any position on the squad, thus it is really hard to put her in a box. It is also a little scary to think about how effective Booker will be when she can play off one of the best true point guards in the country, especially with Harmon returning before the 2024–25 season. It is indisputable that Booker will be appointment watching heading into the upcoming season when you combine all of this with the storylines that will emerge from Texas’ admission into the SEC and the exciting games against conference rivals South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee.

Sophomore guard

Due to Olivia Miles’ injury, Hidalgo was thrust into a starting role as a freshman and shone, winning first-team All-America and ACC defensive player of the year. She demonstrated her ability to lead a contender on both sides of the court by finishing first in the nation in steals per game, sixth in points, and 22nd in assists. When Hidalgo shares ballhandling responsibilities with Miles in her sophomore year, her workload will be less demanding, but it is unsettling to think of how she will use that extra energy to become a ball-hawk in transition and when driving to the basket. It is also a lot of pleasure to watch her. She is captivating and will attract attention with the way she moves about the court and displays emotion on the outside. Whether it was the opening game in Paris versus South Carolina, the ACC/SEC Challenge in Knoxville, a nonconference matchup in Storrs, or pulling off the game-winning steal in Spain at the FIBA U-19 World Cup, Hidalgo has previously proven she can perform well on the biggest stages. She was made to be a celebrity.

Senior forward

Iriafen has caused a lot of headaches for Pac-12 opponents this season on the West Coast. But for many, it appeared as though the 6-foot-3 forward sprang out of nowhere in the postseason since so few Stanford games were broadcast on national television. With Cameron Brink leaving for the WNBA and the ACC the next season (with the majority of her games broadcast on ESPN), Iriafen takes center stage for a dynamic team in a new era. With Iriafen’s skill set, coach Tara VanDerveer can and need to get inventive. She is a gifted inside player with a great mid-range jump shoot (according Pivot Analysis, she made nearly half of her mid-range attempts this past season), a relentless rebounder, a strong defensive player, and this year she has greatly improved her passing. She is and always has been the whole package, but now she will be seen by more people.

Sophomore guard

With a top-10 SportsCenter highlight during the Gamecocks’ season-opening matchup against Notre Dame, Fulwiley made his debut this season. Her use was inconsistent throughout her first season, but now that she has played a full season in South Carolina’s system, as a sophomore, she should settle into the team and become a more valuable member of the greatest backcourt in the country. Fulwiley will need to keep carving out her minutes since Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson, and Bree Hall—all of whom are already starters—are ahead of her. But every time Fulwiley steps onto the court, her inventiveness will draw attention—she is a walking highlight reel.

Junior forward

Many people will be inclined to write the Hawkeyes off following Clark’s departure, but that would be a poor choice. Stuelke is the genuine deal, and there is no reason to believe that he can not be the kind of key player in this offense that previous Iowa great Megan Gustafson was, especially considering how successfully Iowa has developed post players in their system. Even though Sydney Affolter, Kylie Feuerbach, and other players will be making the passes instead of Clark next year, Stuelke is capable of handling the pressure after two years in the system. She is a very swift player for her size, and she also possesses a great deal of intelligence and discipline. (After all, how many 6-2 forwards who competed in the high school 100-meter dash as all-conference athletes do you know?) Stuelke will be at the core of Iowa’s continued appeal to Americans.

8. Audi Crooks, Iowa State

Sophomore center

The Cyclones are destined for the 2025 Final Four. Crooks would be the centerpoint, as many people learned after her 40-point showing against Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Iowa State center displayed all of her abilities, including keeping the ball up high, finishing clean, and sealing her opponent deep in the paint. She is a vintage post who is physically strong, enjoys herself immensely, and gives her finest effort when she has her back to the basket. After a and-one, who is having more fun than Crooks?

The Cyclones bringing back the core of a club that won 21 games will aid in Crooks’ rise to greatness. With four sophomore wings (Addy Brown, Jalynn Bristow, Kelsey Joens, and Arianna Jackson) and veteran point guard Emily Ryan back, Crooks could have plenty of success as a team and receive easy touches in the post. This is especially true in a Big 12 that is losing Texas and Oklahoma, two of its strongest teams. It is definitely worthwhile to keep a watch on the most dominant player on a possible power conference champion.

Junior wing

The veterans on Johnson’s team cast her in a shadow, but any player deserving of stardom may celebrate a national title as her song plays in the arena. One of the hardest players to contain in the open court in recent memory, the rising junior wing elevates LSU’s transition attack. Johnson has a flawless euro-step on her way to the hoop, and she makes over 10% more basket-bound shots at the rim (67.3%) than the national average. She also creates separation on her jumper with her athleticism. As a sophomore, Johnson’s 3-point percentage increased from 33 to 38.1 percent. She can score well from any part of the court and execute defensive maneuvers that change the flow of play. She scored the most points for LSU in its victory against Rice in the second round, and in the Sweet 16 against UCLA, she led the team in both scoring and rebounds.

Junior guard

In 2023–24, the Pac-12 got a defensive rating of 92.3 points per 100 possessions, while the Big Ten scored 96.3 points per 100 possessions. Nobody more so than point guard Kiki Rice should be able to unlock UCLA’s potential in that regard with the switch to a more offensively-friendly setting. After two seasons as the Bruins’ reliable floor general, Rice now has the chance to step it up a notch as she assumes more responsibility for the offense following Charisma Osborne’s graduation. She is an inventive finisher in the paint and has the ability to collect rebounds and travel the entire length of the floor to score. It is very difficult to restrict Rice in the half court. The amount of talent on UCLA’s roster has forced Rice to play below her true potential for the benefit of the team, but it is evident that the Bruins perform best when Rice is aggressive, as seen by their victories over Creighton and UConn in tournament play. Rice appears ready to take over as the Big Ten’s top point guard, a position that is now vacant.

(Photos of JuJu Watkins, Paige Bueckers and Flau’jae Johnson:  Steph Chambers/Getty Images,  Joe Buglewicz / Getty Images, Andy Lyons / Getty Image)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *